Tag: home

October 5, 2013

Fall Decorating on the Front Porch

Decorating the front porch for the fall season is a must for me. Nothing looks more cheerful than orange pumpkins and bright fall mums decorating a doorstep. Even if you do something as simple as setting one pumpkin on the step and hanging an autumn-themed wreath on the door, giving your doorstep a little seasonal style will put a smile on your face every time you come home. This year I didn’t put more than five minutes of work into decorating my front doorstep. And, most of it I found by wandering around my front yard. If you reimagine how you think about décor for your doorstep, you can find what you need by just looking around your home or taking a walk around your neighborhood. Take a look at my doorstep. The pinecones were scavenged from my front yard. The mums are plants I bought last year that reappeared. They’re annuals! The mums haven’t bloomed yet, but they’ll show their cheery yellow buds soon. My boyfriend already had the antlers. And, I added a few gourds and miniature pumpkins (which I did buy this year) for color. (Please ignore the icky wrought iron screen door. It came with...

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October 4, 2013

Fall Decorating From Nature

Decorating your home for the fall season doesn’t mean you need to spend money on new items. You can essentially “shop” your backyard and neighborhood for everything you need. It just takes a little reimagining of how you think about home décor. Most of the items we typically use to decorate for fall are just fake versions of what comes from nature in the first place. Think pumpkins, squash, gourds, leaves and pinecones. Instead of buying fake versions, why not just use what’s already out there? I love decorating my home with elements from nature. It makes a room feel more alive. Give your home a natural seasonal style with these fall-themed decorating ideas. Pinecones If you’re not lucky enough to have a pine tree growing in your front or backyard, just take a walk around the neighborhood. Gather up a bunch of pinecones and use them all over your home. Add a few to your fall mantle display. Pile them up in empty terracotta pots, like I did. Create a table display with a basket filled with pinecones. The pinecone possibilities are endless. Pine needles While you’re gathering up your pinecones, be sure to also pick up a...

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October 3, 2013

How to Love Your Home’s Imperfections

You and I probably look at the picture above differently. You know why? I see the imperfections. Because it’s my home. The things you might not notice, irk me all the time. Like those dog bowls off to the left. They don’t do my dining room any decorating favors, but I can’t have my doggie going hungry either! And, you can’t see it but I know that those curtains are hanging from an ugly white curtain rod that came with the rental house. You also can’t see the hideous cobalt blue ceiling fan light fixture hanging overhead. I have no words for the imperfections of that. And those seemingly put together built-in bookshelves? The cabinet doors are hiding what’s essentially my pantry at the moment. My kitchen is too tiny to store food, so beneath those books and knickknacks are pasta, canned goods and baking supplies. My home is definitely imperfect. But on the Sunday morning when I took this picture, the light was just so perfect. It made the room look cozy, light and happy. And you know what? Right then all of those imperfections didn’t matter. It made me think that maybe those imperfections should matter a little less...

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October 2, 2013

Are You Stuck in a Decorating Rut?

Do you ever think your home just feels boring? It’s just…the same? You want to change it up but you don’t know how? You’re in a decorating funk, my friend. I’ve been there too. It’s kind of like how you dress. Often, I put together the same outfit combinations over and over. Same shirt with the same pants. Same shoes. Then, when I try an out-of-my-usual combination, and it works, it’s a revelation. Why didn’t I do that before? The same can happen with your decorating style. You just have to get out of your usual way of doing things. Here are five ideas to pull you out of that decorating rut. 1. Rearrange the furniture Challenge yourself to rearrange your furniture. This simple trick can make a huge difference. Even if it seems like you can’t make any other combination than what you currently have, you probably can. Just give it a try. It’s amazing how just moving your couch can make your living room feel like a whole new space. 2. Switch rooms Just because you have that armchair in the living room doesn’t mean it needs to stay there. Maybe it would work better in the...

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Are You Stuck in a Decorating Rut?

Do you ever think your home just feels boring? It’s just…the same? You want to change it up but you don’t know how? You’re in a decorating funk, my friend. I’ve been there too. It’s kind of like how you dress. Often, I put together the same outfit combinations over and over. Same shirt with the same pants. Same shoes. Then, when I try an out-of-my-usual combination, and it works, it’s a revelation. Why didn’t I do that before? The same can happen with your decorating style. You just have to get out of your usual way of doing things. Here are five ideas to pull you out of that decorating rut. 1. Rearrange the furniture Challenge yourself to rearrange your furniture. This simple trick can make a huge difference. Even if it seems like you can’t make any other combination than what you currently have, you probably can. Just give it a try. It’s amazing how just moving your couch can make your living room feel like a whole new space. 2. Switch rooms Just because you have that armchair in the living room doesn’t mean it needs to stay there. Maybe it would work better in the...

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September 30, 2013

31 Days of Reimagining

Welcome to my 31 days blog series: 31 Days of Reimagining. This blog series is part of the 31 days challenge hosted by one of my favorite home bloggers, The Nester. Bloggers take the challenge to write about one topic every day in October. That’s 31 days of straight blog posting! This will be quite the challenge for me. I’ve yet to regularly post here on Red Leaf Style. Between working a full time job as a web writer and writing part time as a contributing writer for OrganicAuthority.com, I’m pretty writered out by the time I get to my blog. (Even though it’s the one I wish I could devote the most time to.) But this month there will be no excuses! No. Excuses. So, get ready world for a full month of ways to reimagine your home. That’s my topic. 31 Days of Reimagining. Because that’s what I’m all about here on Red Leaf Style, reimagining your home in new ways. I’ll be blogging about how to look at your home from a fresh perspective, repurposing your décor and anything else I come up with along the way. Are you ready? Here we go… (I’ll update the link each day...

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September 23, 2013

2013 Fall Decorating Ideas

It’s finally fall! Who’s excited for pumpkin spice lattes, colorful leaves and scarf weather? If none of those do it for you, what about pumpkin patches, apple cider or a cozy fire? Can you tell I’m obsessed with this season? I’ve been waiting for autumn to come around pretty much since the beginning of summer. It’s my favorite time of year. Of course I’ve already started thinking about how I’m going to decorate my home for fall. I recently moved into a new house and the timing couldn’t have worked out better. I have a whole new space to decorate and enjoy during fall. Below is a list of fall decorating ideas I’m itching to try. Most of them are pretty basic. They’re just things I always want to do but never seem to make time to actually do. What about you? Do you have a fall decorating list? Even if it’s just a mental one? Here are a few of my fall decorating ideas to get you in the mood. Fall home decorating ideas to try: Make an autumn-themed wreath. Maybe out of pinecones? Decorate my mantle for fall Come up with a new way to decorate pumpkins...

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